Not What He Seems
by LeesaCrakon
Summary: Chad takes things too far in his efforts to torment Evie, Jay, Mal, Carlos, Doug, and even Ben, and they hatch a plan to get their revenge. But when something shocking and sad about Chad is revealed, they find themselves wanting to help him instead of hurt him. What will the VKs and their friends decide to do? Rated T for violence, depression, and talk of suicide throughout.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey, four-eyes, where do you think you're going?" Doug's blood ran cold as he heard Chad's chilling voice. He turned to see Chad standing a mere foot away, a smirk on his face. "C-Chemistry... Why?" Doug stammered, backing away. Chad's smirked widened and he grabbed Doug by the front of his shirt, saying nothing as he shoved Doug backwards. Doug gasped as Chad slammed him against the lockers, the jock's wicked laughter ringing in his ears. He sank to his knees, wrapping his arms around his head in an attempt to protect himself. He heard Chad scoff before feeling a shrieking pain in his side and Chad kicked him harshly.

"Where's your little girlfriend, huh Doug?" Chad laughed, grabbing Doug by the front of his uniform jacket and slamming him against the lockers again, this time holding him a few feet off the ground. "Looks like you're going to have to man up and stick up for yourself this time." Doug shook, trying to open his mouth and make a reply, when Chad drew back his fist and punched Doug, knocking off his glasses and making him see stars. He felt something hot and wet trickle from his nose, and grimaced. Chad looked taken aback as he saw the blood slowly flow from Doug's broken nose, but as he let go of him he delivered another kick to his side before walking away with clenched fists, smirking. Doug's vision began to fade to black as he slid down the lockers.

* * *

"This has gone on way to long!" Mal snarled, pacing anxiously in her room, her hands clasped behind her back. Ben got to his feet, going to her side and grabbing her by the shoulders. "I know Mal, but pacing and muttering isn't going to do anything." Ben glanced at Doug, Evie, Jay, and Carlos, and they all quickly nodded in agreement with him. Mal huffed and sat back down on her bed, trying not to jostle Doug **.** He winced, gently placing a hand on his battered ribs, but said nothing to her and just leaned against Evie, closing his eyes briefly.

"We've all come to an agreement that after Chad and Doug's little 'meeting' today, he needs to be put to a stop. Anyone have any ideas?" Ben asked his friends. Jay and Carlos smirked and Carlos raised a hand. Ben nodded to him, slightly dreading what the answer was. Carlos got to his feet and turned to face those still sitting.

"I say we use some sort of , your mirror reveals who people love and stuff, right?" Carlos said, turning to his blue haired friend. Evie, slightly confused, gave a small nod. Carlos grinned. "As most of you know, Chad is single. I say we ask the mirror who Chad loves the most in the land and use it as blackmail!"Carlos said with a slight laugh. Ben looked a bit hesitant, but Evie, Doug, Mal, and Jay, cheered and talked among themselves excitedly.

"Oh, this is perfect! The look on his face... Ha!"

"When should we do it? It has to be soon!"

"Okay, why don't we-"

"I don't think this is such a good idea!" Ben interrupted, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "I know that Chad was horrible to you all, but does that mean you should fight fire with fire? It can only end in disaster!" Ben said pointedly. The others were silent for a moment before Mal chuckled darkly and shook her head. "Ben, sweetie, we may be good guys now, but sometimes it's necessary to let out a little evil every once in a while. Besides, Chad will only be getting what he deserves, and he might leave us alone!" Mal said. She smiled a bit as she saw the gears in Ben's head turn, loving how adorably confused you looked.

"I... I still don't..." Ben's voice trailed off and he sighed. "Fine. Let's do it. But not right now, alright? It's getting late, and Doug still hasn't been to the infirmary. We can consult the mirror tomorrow. Agreed?" Doug and the Vks grudgingly nodded in agreement and Ben helped Doug to his feet, prepared to lead him to the infirmary. When they left, Mal groaned and flopped down completely on her bed.

"Boys are confusing," she muttered, making Jay and Carlos go "Hey!" in protest. "What, they are!" Mal protested. Evie sighed and shrugged, putting her magic mirror into her bag. "maybe so, but Ben has a point. I'm exhausted; I really don't want to plot revenge when I'm at a lack for sleep. I might get wrinkles or something," Evie muttered. Jay snickered, but said nothing. The two boys left to let the girls get ready for bed, saying good night as they left.

"Aren't you upset **at all?** I mean, Doug's your boyfriend! Don't tell me you aren't even a little angry," ,al said with venom as she started to undress, pulling her night gown from under her pillow. Evie's expression hardened and she turned away from the mirror where she had been removing her makeup, her eyes glistening slightly.

"Trust me, I'm furious. Chad is a jerk and he needs to be put in his place. Nothing anyone says will disturb my opinion of that. But, we need to plan efficiently, and we can't do that when we're angry and tired. See what I mean?" Evie explained sweetly. Mal nodded slowly. "Doug's rubbing off on you. You sound like a nerd or something," Mal teased, making Evie giggle. As the two girls said good night to each other and turned out the lights, there was one thing on their minds; sweet revenge.


	2. Mirror, Mirror

Doug wasn't so sure about this. He didn't like getting beaten up by Chad, and he didn't like it when Chad messed with Evie, but something about what the and the others were doing didn't settle right with him. Even as pain shot through his body as he made his way to Mal and Evie's room, he still didn't think this was right. Ben had a point in what he said last night, that they shouldn't fight fire with fire, but the VKs were fixed on the idea of revenge.

"it's about time you showed up man," Jay grumbled when he reached the room. His face flushed slightly when he saw he was the last to arrive, and he quickly sat beside Evie. "Leave him alone, guys!" Evie said with a small pout, looping her arm through his before pulling out her mirror from under her pillow. Doug's stomach churned as the VKs let out a snicker. He exchanged an uneasy glance with Ben, who seemed just as reluctant as he was about the whole thing.

Evie cleared her throat and said, "Mirror, Mirror, in my hand, who does Chad love most in the land?" The mirror shimmered slightly and Evie gasped in shock when the person on the mirror came into focus. "I-it's...It's a..." Evie stammered, unable to finish her sentence. Mal tried to snatch the mirror away, but Evie shrieked and clutched the mirror to her chest. Doug eyes narrowed and he gently slipped the mirror out of Evie's hand. She gasped in shock and tried to take it back. As he moved to keep it away, his eyes fell on the mirror and he gaped at it in shock.

A teenage boy, about a year or so younger than Chad, was depicted in the mirror. He had short black hair that was slightly messy and had a bit of a curl to it. His skin was unnaturally pale, but it seemed to suit him due to his tall, lanky frame. The dark, navy blue suit he had on made his green eyes pop. He wore a pair of thick, black, square glasses that matched his dorky grin. Speaking of his grin, the guy had perfect teeth. Who the heck had teeth that perfect?! Anyways, he wasn't drop dead handsome, but he definitely wasn't bad looking either.

"Wait... Chad's gay?" jay said with a snort, peering over Doug's shoulder. Doug sighed in exasperation and shoved his face away, making Jay grunt in surprise. "I guess so. But who cares? There's nothing wrong with that," Ben butted in, although he looked a bit shocked himself. "Chad cares, obviously. Why else would he keep it a secret? Gay marriage is legal in Auradon, but his parents are Prince Charming and Cinderella, the literal embodiment of a perfectly straight, happily married couple. He's probably ashamed of who he is!" Evie said, placing a hand over her heart.

"I think we found our blackmail guys," Jay said with a smirk.

* * *

Evie was slightly nervous as she walked up to Chad in the empty courtyard, the others giving her a thumbs up before all of them hid behind something She swallowed, fidgeting as her eyes fell on Chad. Yes he was alone, but so was she. He might hurt her before she even got a chance to make a proposition! And did she even want to do this? It didn't seem right to her. Even the fairly large part of her that was still evil wasn't on board with this. She shook those thoughts aside and took a shaky breath, clutching her mirror tightly in one hand and approaching Chad with a devious smile. He folded his arms across his chest when he saw her coming, an eyebrow raised.

"What do you want, Evil?" Chad sneered. Evie ignored the 'nickname' and smirked, pulling out the mirror from behind her back. Chad's cocky smile faltered slightly, his eyes resting on the teen's image in the mirror. His eyes seemed to soften slightly but his jaw clenched, and Evie could've sworn he started tearing up. "Who is this? Is he your boyfriend?" Evie asked, waving the mirror in front of Chad's face tauntingly. Chad swallowed and gently pushed her hand down. When she sighed and tried to show to him again, he shook his head.

"Put it away, Evil," Chad said quietly, the gentleness of his tone startling Evie, but she couldn't let that stop her. Evie practically shoved the mirror in his face, laughing softly. "Not until you tell me who this is," she sneered, copying Chad usual tone. Chad closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. When he opened them again, they were glistening.

"Evil, put the mirror-"

"You're stalling Chad. Just tell me who-"

"Evie, please!" Evie's smirk faded as Chad's voice cracked and he used her actual name, and she actually looked at him. Tears were indeed gathering in his eyes and it looked like he was trying as hard as he could not to let them loose. Evie put the mirror away and resisted the urge to pull Chad into a hug and apologize for what she said. She hesitantly put a hand on Chad's shoulder put he brushed it off, looking anywhere but at her.

"Chad, who's the guy in the mirror? Be honest with me," Evie asked, making her voice as gentle as possible. "No one. He's no one," Chad said quickly, and a tear trailed down his cheek. Evie blinked in shock and put her hand on Chad's shoulder again, and this time he didn't brush her off. A few more tears escaped the confines of his watery eyes and he let out a soft sob. Evie was at a loss for words, completely in shock. Chad, the biggest jerk in school and her sworn enemy, was crying. She had no idea what to do. Was she supposed to comfort him? Or was she supposed to stick to the plan and force the answer out of him.

"I-I'll tell you, just not here, someone might see us. And you have to swear that you won't tell anyone else," Chad said weakly. Not knowing what else to do, Evie nodded slowly and followed Chad when he turned and began to walk away, glancing around to make sure no one else was following them. "You guys come too," Chad called behind them. Ben and the other VKs came out from their hiding places, all of them looking shocked and even upset. Mal and Ben exchanged an uneasy glance before following their friends, wondering just what they had gotten themselves into.


	3. Discoveries

Evie walked past Chad shyly as she entered the dorm room he shared with Ben, feeling a bit self conscious about the whole thing. She was relieved when Chad let the other VKs, Ben, and Doug into the room as well, and quickly sat on the floor next to Doug, resting her head on his shoulder. Chad closed his door and had trouble locking it because of his shaking hands, but he managed to complete the simple task. He sat at the edge of his bed so he was facing his unexpected guests, but he kept his gaze fixed on the floor.

"So... who's the dude in the mirror? Is he your boyfriend or something?" Carlos asked after a few moments of awkward silence. "What?! No! I'm not gay!" Chad said with a sigh, his expression a mixture of confusion and weirded-outness. Evie's hopes of blackmail deflated and she sighed. So it was a friend, then. After all it couldn't be a family member; the guy in the mirror looked nothing like Chad. Chad's upset expression returned and his face twisted as he tried to hold back tears.

"Everyone **always** thinks that when they find out about him," Chad muttered, wiping his eyes on the jacket of his sleeve and sighing. "His name is Derek. He's turning sixteen in about a month or so. He's... He's my younger brother," Chad said, smiling at them all weakly. Oh. Evie was wrong again. They all gaped at him, their surprise apparent on their faces at the unexpected news. The teen in the mirror was Chad's brother? How was that possible? They'd never heard of or seen him before! Ben was the first to react as he blinked, staring at his ex-best friend in shock. "You never told me you had a brother!" he protested, and Chad chuckled humorlessly.

"Yeah, I know. It's kind of a long story, but... Do you guys really want to know about Derek?" Evie glanced around at the others in discomfort, and wasn't surprised to see that they looked just as uneasy as she did. Their original plan was to use what they learned about Chad against him, NOT LISTEN TO HIS SOB STORY AND FEEL SORRY FOR HIM! THAT WAS THE LAST THING THEY WANTED TO DO! I MEAN COME ON, THIS DUDE IS A JERK. AN EVIL, MALICIOUS JERK THAT CARES ABOUT NOBODY BUT HIMSELF AND TREATS THEM ALL LIKE FREAKING PUNCHING BAGS. HE'S A JERK I TELL YOU, A JERK!

Or was he? Evie didn't know him that well, just that he played her and used her to get his homework done. Was there possibly a softer side to Chad? There had to be, if the person he loved more than anything was his younger brother. Evie's eyes feel on the smiling boy's reflection in the mirror and a smile of her own formed on her lips. She tucked the mirror into her bag and leaned against Doug, ready to listen to what Chad had to say.

"Go ahead. I'm all ears," Evie encouraged Chad. Doug raised an eyebrow at her but didn't question her, settling against the side of Ben's bed and preparing to listen to him as well. The other occupants of the room grumbled and muttered to themselves, grudgingly following their example and paying attention to Chad. Said arrogant jock shifted uncomfortably, staring down at his hands.

"If I cry, you all better keep your mouths shut. This story could ruin my entire reputation," Chad said, and the only reason they all nodded in agreement was because of the slightly begging edge to Chad's tone. A royal never begged, never. Chad smiled in gratitude and cleared his throat, ready to begin.

"Derek and I have been close ever since we were little kids. Even though I was only one when he was born, I can still remember holding him for the first time. I knew in that moment that he would be my best friend, and my partner in crime if I ever grew up to be some sort of troublemaker. Over the years, we became closer and closer until it was almost like we were one person. I mean, he was a thousand times smarter than me, maybe even smarter than Doug, but neither of us cared. We actually made jokes about it," Chad began, a small smile on his face. Evie already found herself transfixed in Chad's story, both out of curiosity and the cuteness of the story.

"We made a promise to each other that no matter what, Derek and I would always stay friends. Even when I started coming to Auradon Prep and he was home schooled by mom and dad, we wrote letters back and forth and called each other. When he was old enough to come to Auradon Prep, he was so scared about fitting in, and getting compared to me, and getting picked on my the other kids. I told him he didn't need to worry and that I'd make sure he was just as popular as me and I'd take down anyone that tried to hurt him. But... B-But I didn't..." Chad's voice trailed off and he buried his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly as he took deep breaths. Ben's expression softened and he sat next to him, putting an arm around his shoulders. Chad quickly looked up and scooted over a little, making Ben's arm fall from his shoulders. All of the others, even Jay, couldn't help but feel sympathetic.

"Anyways, like I was saying, I didn't keep any of my promises. Derek got beaten up pretty much every day, and sometimes... I was with the people that did it. It hurt me **so much** to watch him getting treated so badly, but the people who had chosen him as target said that if I did anything to stop them, they'd kill Derek," Chad continued. Evie gasped and Mal's hands flew to her mouth. Someone had threatened to **kill** Chad's brother?! Chad was growing closer and closer to tears as the minutes dragged on, and Evie wanted to stop everything right there. This was obviously painful for Chad, and it was just as painful to watch.

"And you guys call yourselves heroes," Jay spat with disgust, and Chad gave him a shaky nod. "I know. right? but the threats didn't even matter, anyways. The bullying got so bad that Derek... He didn't... he decided it wasn't worth it anymore. Later he told me that he didn't care if they ended up killing him, he'd only wanted me to stick up for him and be the big brother I'd always promised to be. So about a week or two before the last day of school, he tried to... to kill himself." Chad started crying and he closed his eyes, looking away to hide his face Carlos' eyes widened in horror and Evie clung tighter to Doug, biting her lip as she tried not to follow Chad's example and bawl her eyes out. This was so horrible...

"It's all my fault. Derek said so, my parents keep saying so, and I know it's true. Mom and dad pulled Derek out of Auradon Prep and sent him to a different school, somewhere in Sleeping Beauty and Philip's kingdom, and they didn't tel me where." Chad looked back at them, his jaw clenched and his hands shaking. "I haven't seen Derek in two years. I miss him so much, but dad won't let me talk to him. He says that I'll just keep hurting him. I tried to change and not be the way I was when Derek was here to prove to mom and dad that he could come back and he would be safe, but I became so **bitter** without him, and I've just gotten worse. You guys know that better than anyone," Chad finished, tears silently rolling down his cheeks.

* * *

 **Welp, there's some more angst! I have to say, I'm shocked at all the follows and favorites this has gotten already! Thank you all so much! And for anyone who was curious, Derek Charming would be portrayed by Joey Bragg (The actor of Joey from Liv and Maddie) if he was a canon character and was in the movies. Thanks again, and don't forget to F &R!**


	4. Help

Chad felt so pathetic. He couldn't stop sobbing or quench the flow of tears that steadily rolled down his cheeks. He felt so vulnerable, and being in front of the people who hated him more than anything else in this world, was a pretty scary thing. But he couldn't help it; he just got so emotional when he talked about his brother. Derek had meant the world to Chad, and he lost him because of a few stupid choices he made. He faintly recognized Ben's strong arms wrap around him and pull him into a hug. Chad didn't return it, but clutched the front of Ben's shirt and buried his face in his shoulder, his entire body shaking. Ben held his friend close and let him cry onto his shoulder, his expression soft and understanding.

Jay's expression was blank as he stared at his fellow tourney teammate and worst enemy, a weird feeling in his chest. Is this what sympathy felt like? Or... guilt? His face fell and he stared down at his hands, ashamed of himself. His father, even being the villain he was, always taught him to never use something about a person against them. He had almost done just that, and now that person was a crying mess in front of him. Jay felt like he punching something, or screaming, but he couldn't. Maybe he would when he was alone.

"Chad, I'm so sorry. Is there anything we could do? Maybe we could use Evie's mirror..." Carlos' voice trailed off and he perked up, his mouth hanging open. "Evie's mirror! We could use Evie's mirror to find Derek!" Carlos said excitedly. Chad sniffed and lifted his head off of Ben's shoulder, his eyes red and swollen from crying. He looked at Carlos with a hesitant frown, and finally shook his head.

"No... No, I could never ask you guys to help me. Not after everything I've done to you. It wouldn't be right," Chad sighed, his fist releasing his grip on Ben's shirt as he sat up properly again. Carlos rolled his eyes and looked at Evie in a way that said, _Come on girl, help a friend out here!_ Evie snickered softly and pulled her mirror out again. She gave Chad a warm smile and nodded in agreement to Carlos' idea.

"This would give you a chance to see him again. This has nothing to do with us Chad, it's about you and Derek. I know how much you want to see him again," Evie said, keeping that warm smile gracing her lips so that Chad could tell she wasn't messing with him. Chad's brow furrowed, but his eyes were filled with longing as Evie held out the mirror to him. He shook his head and pushed it away, sighing. Evie opened her mouth to protest and Chad put up a hand to stop her, his expression hard.

"No. I don't need your help. I'm sure that wherever Derek is right now, he's happy. He doesn't need me," Chad said with a sad smile. Discouraged, Evie stood up and put her hands on his hips, glaring at the stubborn jock in front of him. Chad glanced around nervously, folding his arms across his chest anxiously as the annoyed girl's glare didn't waver. Evie moved closer to him, enough to make Chad and the rest of the occupants of the room uncomfortable, and pushed the mirror towards him.

"You are going to let us help you whether you like it or not! Ugh, why do ll of you hero guys have to be so stubborn!" Evie huffed. Chad managed to smile sheepishly and shrugged, looking down at his hands in an almost shy way. Evie held the mirror out to him again, and this time he took it. He stared at the mirror, looking at the reflection of Derek's smiling, happy face. His fingers hovered over his brother's face, and he bit his lip, the longing returning in his eyes.

"If you don't do it for yourself, do it for Derek. I have a feeling he needs his older brother, no matter what you tell yourself or what **he tells himself.** So, will you let us help you?" Evie said with a hopeful smile. Chad's eyes were glued to his brother's reflection, and he gave a short nod.

"Yes. Please... help me."

* * *

 **Yes, I know it's really short, but if I kept going it would be super long and I wouldn't be able to update this soon for you guys. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews and continued support. Your comments make my day! 3**

 **Don't forget to F &R, my wonderful readers! See you in the next update!**


	5. Why

When Chad agreed to let them all help, Evie gently took the mirror out of his hands and sat beside him. The entire room seemed to hold it's breath as Evie stared at the mirror, her face scrunched up in concentration as she tried to figure out what to say. Chad shifted uneasily, his eyes glancing from her face to the mirror and back again. Finally, Evie took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Magic Mirror in my hand, Where is Derek Charming?" Evie called out. Doug raised an eyebrow at the lack of rhyme in his girlfriend's request, but when the mirror began to shimmer he leaned forward slightly, eyes wide. As Evie looked into her mirror and was surprised to see not a still image, but live action. Her mirror had never shown her something like that.

Squinting, Evie spotted Derek's face in the crowd of students, in whatever private school he was at. _Unlike the image her mirror had shown of him, Derek had a tired and sad expression, with dark circles around his bespectacled eyes and his clothes looking two sizes too big. He flinched at the smallest noise in the background, and his eyes darted around as if he was about to be attacked._

 _"Hey Charming, where are you headed?" a big, blonde, sneering boy said, coming up from behind and grabbing Derek by the back of his light blue suit jacket. Derek sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Lunch. Leave me alone, Philip," Derek murmured. Philip laughed and slammed Derek against a locker, gripping him by the hair and forcing him to look him in the eye._

 _"I don't like your attitude, Derek. Do you think that just because you're King Charming's son, you can boss me around?!" Philip snarled. Derek's face paled and he shook his head rapidly, nearly sending his glasses flying. Philip laughed and punched Derek in the jaw, sending him straight to the ground. Derek curled up, his expression blank as Philip continued his merciless assault._

Chad stared at the scene with wide eyes, jerking every time Philip landed a punch on Derek, his hand twitching as if he wished he could give the bully a taste of his own medicine. Ben grabbed his wrist when he reached for the mirror, his eyes wild and looking as if he was going to smash the mirror. Chad's fist clenched and he closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath.

"Why?! Why is that happening to him?! That's what he was trying to get away from! W-Why..." Chad said shakily through gritted teeth, his head bowed. Evie put a hand on his shoulder before asking the mirror to back out, showing a dull looking private school called Copper Cove. Chad wrinkled his nose and sighed.

"He's going to _that_ school? Gosh, it's a miracle he's not dead yet," Chad muttered. "We need to get him out of there," Doug murmured in agreement, exchanging a knowing glance with Chad and Ben. The VKs looked at their friends in confusion, not really knowing what was going on.

"What's so bad about that school? That's just one kid who's a jerk," Mal pointed out. Ben shook his head, grimacing. "No. It's bad there. Let's just say that a majority of the kids there make the Isle of the Lost look like heaven." Carlos' face paled and Jay stared at Ben blankly while the two girls gasped. This was bad.

"I need to go," Chad said suddenly, getting to his feet and rushing to the door. No one tried to stop him, and he ran down the halls without being held back. He was about to give a couple people a piece of his mind!


	6. Forbidden

"Fairy Godmother, I need to talk to mom and dad!" Chad said, bursting into his Godmother's office. Fairy Godmother yelped and nearly dropped the book she was holding as her unexpected visitor barged in. Sighing, she glared slightly at Chad and set the book on her desk. She folded her arms across her chest and started tapping her foot, raising an eyebrow at her godson questioningly.

"Please Fairy Godmother, it's urgent! I-It's... about Derek," Chad muttered, shifting slightly on his feet and looking down at the dull carpet. Fairy Godmother's expression softened and she gave him a hesitant smile. "Well, if it's about your brother, I suppose it's fine. You know what to do." Chad grinned and gave her a hug as she left before settling down in the chair in front of the desk.

Clearing his throat, Chad said, "King Charming and Queen Cinderella." A sound similar to that of a ringing office phone sounded in the office and Chad took a shaky breath, closing his eyes and trying to reassure himself. These were his parents, they wouldn't get **too** mad at him. After all, he was trying to protect Derek. Chad swallowed back the lump forming in his throat and released a shaky sigh, opening his eyes again. His mother and father were in front of him, their gazes questioning. Chad quickly sent them a weary smile and waved.

"Hey mom, dad. I really need to talk to you guys," Chad said, muttering slightly. King Charming sighed and exchanged an exasperated glance with his wife. "Chad, if it's about those villain kids again, you really need to stop-"

"It's not, dad! Well, it kind of is, but it's more about Derek!" Chad interrupted. He saw how both of his parents tensed at the mention of his brother's name, and resisted the urge to end the call and make a run for it. King Charming glared daggers at his son, the cold gaze making his usually young and happy face appear almost cruel.

"You can't see him. You know that," Cinderella said quietly, resting a hand on her husband's shoulder to calm him and giving Chad a stern look. Chad bit his lip and fought back tears, trying not to curse at them. "I know mom, you and dad have made that quite clear. But Evie showed me something today,' Chad replied. He quickly relayed everything that had happened in the past two days, from his beating up of Doug, Evie showing him that Derek was the person he loved more than anyone, to Derek getting picked on in Copper Cove. His mother listened with interest and even his father showed genuine concern, but Chad knew that neither of them would budge.

"We aren't taking Derek out of that school if that's what you're asking, because then he'll have to go back to Auradon Prep, with you," King Charming spat. A lump formed in Chad's throat and he felt a tear roll down his cheek, and he abandoned his original plan of convincing his parents to transfer Derek to a different school. "Dad, please, I've changed. I love Derek, and I **need to see him again.** Please," Chad murmured. Both of the Charming's looked shocked at their son's unusual show of emotion, and Chad thought he had at least his mother convinced, and his heart nearly leaped for joy.

"No, son. Even if you've changed, that doesn't mean the others have. Besides, Derek is still afraid of you. He told us himself," King Charming told Chad sorrowfully, looking down at his hands. Chad choked back a sob and looked down as well, clutching the desk so hard his knuckles were white. Of course Derek was afraid of him. He'd beaten him up, lied to him, made fun of him. And for what? Popularity? Friends that never really cared about him in the first place? Cinderella's expression softened and Chad could see in her eyes that she wished to be with him to comfort him, but Chad didn't deserve it.

"I know. I know he's afraid of me," Chad managed to say. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, but it was in vain as the tears continued to fall. "I have to go," he said, and ignoring the words of his parents, he got to his feet and ended the connection. Chad found himself openly sobbing as he ran to the door, ignoring Fairy Godmother and running through the halls blindly.

"Chad, what are you doing?!" someone called behind him, and Chad whipped around to see his girlfriend Audrey, her arms folded across her chest as she stared at him sternly. Her glare faded when she saw the tears streaming down his face, and she uncrossed her arms, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Chad wrenched away, glaring at her so harshly she gasped and backed away. He knew that Audrey was dating him just because of his popularity, the popularity he earned by hurting his own **brother.**

"Stay away from me," Chad said, and he took off again.


	7. Plans

Doug found Chad in the library, huddled at a desk in the Fairytales section. He was clutching the story of Cinderella tightly in his hands, reading it. Doug was hesitant to approach him, seeing the red rimming his eyes and the way his shoulders were shaking, but he needed to get him back to his Dorm Room. Doug put a hand on Chad's shoulder, surprised when it didn't startle him and relieved when Chad mustered a smile.

"Hey, Doug. What're you doing here?" Chad asked, his voice cracking slightly. Okay, Chad had definitely been crying. "I've been looking for you. The others have too. You scared us when you ran off," Doug replied, biting his lip. Chad's little smile faded and he looked away, turning back to the book. Doug saw the water stains occasionally dotting the page, and his face fell. He gripped Chad's shoulder tighter.

"Chad, what-?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Chad interrupted, glaring at Doug so ferociously he almost squeaked and ran out the library. But, he wasn't going to give up! Like his father always taught him, you never give up on your friends, even when they're being jerks to you. Doug had no idea when he started to consider Chad a friend. After the whole mirror incident, it just sort of happened. Doug's expression firmed and he sat in the seat next to Chad, yanking the book out of his hands. Chad opened his mouth to protest and tried to grab the book back, but he quickly snapped his mouth shut and let his hands fall into his lap when he saw Doug's stormy look.

"Chad, tell me what happened, or I will not hesitate to shove this book so far down your throat it comes out the other end," Doug said cooly. Chad's face paled and even Doug was shocked. Where the heck had **that** come from? He never threatened people, ever. But, it seemed to work. Chad shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking down at his hands. Doug to tell he was trying to figure out what to say, since his mouth was twitching so much.

"I... tried to talk to my parents," Chad finally began quietly. Doug's stomach plummeted and he almost put his hand on Chad's shoulder again, but quickly restrained himself. Chad swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. He cursed under his breath, hating that he was so emotional lately. It sucked, especially since he was a guy, and a guy that everyone thought was super tough to top it all off. Doug nodded to him encouragingly, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"It started off bad, then things started looking up. But then, my parents told me... something... and I knew it wasn't happening. They aren't going to get Derek out of Copper Cove," Chad said, his tone final. Doug stared at Chad, his mouth hanging open. Were Chad's parents insane?! Chad bit his lip and let out a soft sigh, making Doug look up at him. He looked so sad, it didn't settle well with Doug. What had his parents told him? Was that why he was crying?

"W-Well... If your parents aren't going to help Derek, then we will," Doug said slowly, as if each word took a ton of thought to say. Chad immediately perked up, his eyes wide. "S-Seriously?! Do you think we could?!" he squeaked, and Doug felt himself smile as he nodded. "I'll tell the Ben, Evie, and Mal. You take care of Jay and Carlos. We'll meet up in my dorm room in ten."

* * *

"Operation 'Save Derek' is about to commence!" Doug declared to the rest of the occupants of the room, standing confidently next to Chad. After Chad and Doug had explained everything, the others instantly understood the gravity of the situation. Derek's safety, and maybe even his life, were on the line. They needed to come up with some sort of rescue plan. A few ideas had been tossed around, but no one had come up with anything binding. But, they were starting to come up with a few of the basics.

"Okay, come on guys, think! Copper Cove is a school for delinquents, and has top security. We need to find a way to get in!" Ben said, standing up to join his two friends. "I can take care of that, no worries! I was born for a job like this!" Carlos said with a grin, cracking his knuckles with a tiny pop. Jay clapped him on the back, making him yelp, and the other VKs nodded in approval.

"Okay, security is somewhat out of the way. Evie, use your mirror to the plans for those. Okay... disguises are a must. All of us are fairly well known throughout all of Auradon, so they'll recognize us," Chad said, and he glanced at each of them in turn. "I think there's a some sort of spell or potion that changes what you look like. I'll take a look," Mal said, taking her spell book out of her bag and flipping through it. Chad smiled gratefully and nodded.

"We'll need a way to transport Derek when we finally get there. Philip and Aurora's kingdom is a few hours away, and that's by car. Jay, you have anything we could use for that?" Doug said, glancing at the burly member of their group. Jay hesitated slightly before nodding. "I could steal a car. Well, borrow is a better term. Chad, can you drive?" Chad nodded in response.

"I think that's everything," Doug said. "Oh really? You've forgotten something important. A distraction," someone new said, and all of the room's occupants whipped around to face the door. Jane and Audrey stood in the doorway, Jane hiding timidly behind Audrey while the latter smiled at Chad smugly. "We can do that. The guards at Copper Coves love chicks. And your plan has some holes, it's way too simple. We can help you with that too," Jane said quietly, smiling a little. Chad grinned at his girlfriend.

"I'm so happy I could kiss you right now," he chuckled, an Audrey teasingly made a face. "Ew, no. But seriously guys, we want to help," Audrey said, her expression becoming slightly more serious. Mal and Ben looked unhappy about the newest additions to their team, but the others seemed to be fine with it.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this plan into action!" Audrey cheered.


	8. Get Away Car

Chad's stomach was churning as he sneaked through the dark hallways of Auradon Prep, closely followed by Jane, Audrey, Doug, and Ben. The others were all waiting at the supposed get away car, having found an easy way out being the VKs and all. Chad held up a hand for the others to stop as the clicking of heels reached his ears, and they all quickly hid in the closest unlocked classroom they could find. Chad's heart was pounding and he grabbed Audrey's hand for comfort as he spotted the Fairy Godmother strutted past the classroom they were hiding in. Ben clamped a hand over Jane's mouth when she let out a small squeak at the sight of her mother, and Doug stiffened with panic.

Thankfully, the Fairy Godmother walked right on by and the group of panicking teens were able to sneak out of the classroom towards the main entrance. Chad thanked whatever Gods he knew of once again when they saw no guards posted at Auradon's gates like they usually were, and he opened the gate as silently as he could. He waved silently for the others to follow him and slipped through to the other side, looking around to see if Jay had arrived with the car.

"Over here!" Mal whisper-shouted from her position at the statue of King Beast. Chad's heart stopped momentarily when he saw her and the other VKs, but he didn't let that stop him as he ran forward to join them. Jay stood proudly in front of the car he had managed to 'borrow', and Chad's mouth fell open in shock. It was Auradon Prep's limo, literally one of the most expensive cars in the land.

"Okay, first of all, how? And second of all, why?" Doug piped up, and Jay shrugged with a small smirk. "It was the first car I found. I wanted to get something else, but I didn't think there'd be enough time. It'll be a bit pf a tight squeeze, but we'll make do. Hop in." None of the small group needed to be told twice. Chad quickly got into the driver's seat, Doug sat up front next to him, and the other six climbed into the back. Jay had obviously been sarcastic when he said it would be a tight fit and the occupants quickly settled in.

"Evie, ask the mirror for directions and then hand it to me," Chad called into the back, starting up the limousine's engine and starting to drive off. Evie handed him the mirror a moment later, and Chad smirked when he saw the mirror greatly resembled the screen of a GPS.

"And we're off!" Chad said, hitting the pedal and speeding off. His mind was reeling at the prospect of what they were going to do. He was going to save his brother. He would be able to see him, hug him, ruffle his hair, just like old times. With a smile on his face, Chad drove on towards the moment that would change his and Derek's life forever.

* * *

 **I know it's extremely short, but I was stuck on this scene and I wouldn't have been able to move on. I hope you enjoyed it anyways, my lovely readers! Don't forget to FF &R! 3 **


	9. Chatting

It was late and Chad had to fight to stay awake, his head occasionally bobbing to his chest before he swerved and snapped his head back up again. The other occupants of the limo were all asleep, so Chad had no one to take his place. He sighed and sat up straighter, rubbing his eyes to chase the sleep out of them before turning his attention back to the road. Doug stirred next to him and sat up suddenly, looking around groggily.

"What're you doing up?" Chad asked, shaking his head slightly as he started feeling drowsy. Doug shrugged silently and sat back against his seat, but Chad could tell he wasn't planning on going back to sleep anytime soon. His grip on the steering wheel tightened subconsciously and he tried not to make eye contact with the bespectacled boy beside him. He prayed that Doug wouldn't try to talk to him, to avoid any... unpleasantness the two boys had. But there was one question, one thing that had been nagging him ever since all of this started.

"Why are you guys helping me? Why are _you_ helping me?" Chad asked, and Doug looked over at him in confusion. Chad felt his stomach twist as their eyes met and he looked away, suddenly feeling guilty. It was such a stupid question. They had been raised by heroes; they were taught ever since they were younger that you had to help someone even if you hated them. Doug was just doing this because of his parents.

"It just seemed like the right thing to do," Doug replied, shrugging his shoulders. Chad slumped over slightly. He knew it. "But, I also feel sorry for you. I've been telling myself for years that there's to be a reason why you're always so... _so mean_ to everybody all the time. So when you told us about your brother, it all made sense. I'm doing this because want to help you," Doug added. Chad looked at him in surprise, but it quickly changed to a grief-ridden frown.

"I don't deserve it, though. I was horrible to you, and the VKs, and everybody else. So, tell me the real reason, Doug. Is it because of what our parents always taught us? That even if we hate somebody we still have to help them? Because that's what it seems like to me!" Chad snapped, and he saw Doug flinch out of the corner of his eye. Chad's expression softened and he sighed, staring out into the dark night.

"That's not it at all, so don't you accuse me of it," Doug said slowly. Chad hesitated before nodding slowly, although he honestly didn't know whether or not he should believe Doug. Said boy gave him a suddenly concerned look, putting a hand on his shoulder and looking him up and down silently.

"Have you slept at all?" Doug asked cautiously. Chad shook his head, and gently pushed Doug's hand off of his shoulder. "Nope. I've been driving this whole time. Don't need it though, I'll be fine." Doug rolled his eyes when Chad rapidly shook his head to wake himself back up, and even gave out a soft chuckle. After a few moments of silence and a nudge in the side from Doug, Chad groaned and pulled over to the side of the road. He got out and the two of them switched sides so that Doug was driving and Chad was in the passenger's seat.

"Thanks, Doug," Chad murmured, shifting slightly in his seat so he was in a more comfortable position. "For what?" came the reply. Chad smiled. "Everything." He let himself drift off to sleep.


	10. Sealed

The next morning, Evie asked the mirror how far away they were from Copper Cove. It wasn't a surprise when the mirror said they were hours away still, and Jay spoke for everyone when he said if he didn't go to the bathroom or get his hands on some sort of food, he would implode. Or was it explode? Either way, no one wanted that. Auradon had only four or so actual rest stops. They were all run down, dirty, and had about one employee on duty. The were left over from the days Fairytale characters were still in hiding, and regular people without any faerie ancestry were the majority.

The one our heroes came across was actually one of the nicer rest stops. It was run by some of Cinderella's animal friends, so it was kept in tip-top shape. They also recognized Chad when they walked in and he was almost immediately surrounded by friendly birds, mice, squirrels, and even a few rabbits. Chad didn't look the slightest bit annoyed at the attention and called each animal by the name, giving them all pats on the or shaking their tiny hands with his little finger.

"You guys go ahead and do whatever you need to. I'll stick around with these guys," Chad said while grinning at Jaq and Gus, who were sitting on his right shoulder. They both had aged quite nicely, with beautiful silver fir. Jaq had gained a bit of weight while Gus had lost a lot due to a diet Cinderella had recommended for them. The others consented to Chad's suggestion and went about their business, tended after by the other animals. Jaq climbed up Chad's neck and settled in his hair like it was home, making the teen smile.

"So, Chad, what brings you here?" Jaq asked in his familiar squeaky voice. Careful not to knock Jaq or Gus off of their positions on him, Chad sat down on one of the nice benches lining the walls before replying, "We're going to Copper Cove." Gus let out a squeal of terror and jumped into Chad's front pocket, quivering slightly in fear (he still hadn't gotten rid of his timid nature, even being as old as he was), and peeked up through the top of the pocket at Chad with wide eyes.

"Th-That's a s-scary place, Chad! D-Do Henri and C-Cinderella know you're g-going there?!" Gus exclaimed. Both mice noticed how Chad's expression darkened at the mention of his parents, but Chad quickly hid it with a smile. The well-meaning but slightly ignorant mice pushed the dark expression to the back of their minds and continued their interrogation of the young Charming.

"Why are you going there? Surely, like Gus suggested, your parents don't know. If they did, they'd be livid!" Jaq mumbled. "Why, I have a mind to go call up your mother and-"

"No! Jaq, please don't!" Chad said, jerking his head upward with so much force that Jaq tumbled backwards off the top of his head and gave out a little scream before grabbing some of Chad's hairs and pulling himself back up. "Well, why not?! Your mother trust all of us in full! I can;t just betray her trust like that!" Jaq huffed, sitting down in Chad's hair with his arms crossed. Chad's face fell and his shoulders slumped. Gus peeked his head out of the pocket once again, a concerned look on his tiny face.

"What's wrong, Chad?" The simple, three word question made Chad's stomach churned and he gripped the sides of the bench, his knuckles turning white. Gus looked up at Jaq and they exchanged a concerned glance. Scurrying out of their places, they crawled down Chad's arms and rested on his knees, perched up they were looking up at him. Chad kept his gaze up and straight forward, refusing to look at the kind, mentoring mice.

"This doesn't have anything to do with... with Derek, does it?" Jaq asked, taking off his small red hat and scratching his head. When Gus and Jaq saw Chad stiffen, their question was answered. "We'll keep our lips sealed for now," Jaq said with a smile, patting Chad's knee with his tiny hand. "Unless your parents panic, of course." Chad blinked in surprise and stared at the two mice on his knees, shocked that his mother's best friends would just go against her like that!

As if reading Chad's mind, Jaq said, "Your mother is a wonderful woman, Chad, but she can be a bit selfish sometimes. King Henri has some problems as well." Chad, still too shocked to really say anything, nodded and gave Jaq andd Gus a grateful smile. Letting out a small cheer, the two elderly mice scampered down Chad's pant leg.

Gus said, "Now, you best be on your way! Wouldn't want to miss that brother of yours!"


	11. Hole

"How long _,_ Evie?" Chad called into the back from his position in the driver's seat. Audrey, who was sitting next to him, looked back at the six in expectation. Evie pulled out her mirror and asked the question for what seemed like the fifth time that day, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of her tone.

 _You have arrived,_ the mirror said in a Siri voice. Chad hit the brakes so hard all of the limo's occupants lurched forward, Carlos screeching and clinging to Jay to keep from falling. Chad looked out at the desert like, empty space in front of him. There was nothing there. The mirror was wrong! Chad growled in frustration and reached into the back, grabbing the mirror out of Evie's hands. Sure enough, the mirror said that they were right on top of the school.

"This is bull crap!" Chad hissed, shoving the mirror back at Evie and slumping down into his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Audrey hesitantly put a hand on her frustrated boyfriend's shoulder, trying to come up with something to say. Chad was visibly upset, shaking slightly and clenching his jaw tightly to keep from lashing out at anyone. The VKs, Doug, Jane, and Audrey all stayed silent, not wanting to set him off.

"There... There could be some sort of secret entrance. Maybe Copper Cove is underground...?" Jane suggested timidly. Chad hummed softly in consideration and looked back at Jane, surprising everyone with a slight smile. "Since when were you so smart?" Chad muttered, and Jane's face turned bright red. Chad unlocked the limo doors and motioned for the others to get out, opening his door and stepping out into the hot air. It was indeed some sort of desert, with a few shrubs and cacti growing here and there. Chad was already sweating in his blue suit from the blooming heat of the sun.

"Look for something that might get us in. Some sort of machinery," Carlos said when he got out of the car. The other teens all nodded and scattered in every direction, searching the ground for some sort of pole, security device, or anything else that looked out of place. Chad was looking behind a shrub when he felt someone poke his shoulder. He looked up to see Jane standing over him shyly, scuffing the ground with her shoe.

"I think I might have found something, but I need help uncovering it," Jane explained. Chad's eyes widened and he leapt to his feet, following Jane eagerly as she led him to her discovery. Behind a tall cactus plant, the edge of a metal plate jutted out of the ground. It had tons of grooves and things that looked like buttons. If that wasn't what they were looking for, then Chad wasn't a Charming. He quickly bent down and dug at the hard earth around the plate, not caring that his nails were chipping and the skin on his hands was getting scratched up. _Derek was so close._

"You really want to see him again, don't you?" Jane murmured, kneeling at his side and helping him uncover the plate. "Yeah. I have for two freaking years," Chad snapped, hoping Jane wouldn't take offense. He was nearly at his wits end, and being so close to where his brother might be was starting to get to him. Jane stayed silent and the two of them dug, uncovering the plate bit by bit.

"This is it!" Jane squealed as they finally chipped away the last particle of dust. The plate began to glow brightly and the two backed away, watching in awe. The others saw the commotion and ran up, realization dawning in their eyes as they saw the brightly lit plate. The plate screeched as it opened, revealing a yawning black hole. Cold, musty smelling air came up from the hole and Chad looked down. It seemed to go on forever. Swallowing back the lump in his throat Chad regarded the hole for a moment.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and jumped.


	12. Mirror Malfunctions

Chad could barely breathe as he plummeted in a free fall hundreds of feet downwards. He wanted to scream, but the air was being sucked out of his lungs so harshly he could barely even manage a whimper. He looked up to see that the others had followed him down the rabbit hole. He assumed it was a rabbit hole, because it greatly resembled the hole Alice had fallen into when she went to Wonderland. Miscellaneous objects floated around Chad that you would usually find in a school; pens, paper, desks, a teacher or two, apples, and others.

"HOW DEEP IS THIS THING?!" Carlos screeched high above him. Chad faintly heard reply before he let out a shout of surprise, colliding with the ground at top speed. He groaned, rolling over onto his back and looking up. A blue sky filled with puffy white clouds loomed above him with a big black hole right in the center of it. Audrey, Jane, Doug, Jay, Carlos, Mal, and Ben soon landed after Chad, Audrey barely missing him as she collapsed in a heap next to him. Chad quickly pulled her to her feet, brushing off the front of her dress and kissing her cheek, to which she smiled gratefully. The two intertwined their fingers and turned to the rest of the group.

"Evie, where do we go from here?" Chad asked, gnawing on his lip anxiously and shifting slightly on his feet. Audrey squeezed his hand comfortingly, but he didn't notice. Evie quickly pulled out her mirror and murmured into it before throwing it down in frustration.

"It won't show me anything! it's like a cellphone without service!" Evie growled.

"There must be a blockage in electromagnetic waves down here. Sort of like the barrier around the island," Carlos suggested, and Chad's heart plummeted.

"We were so close," he sighed, rubbing his eyes with his free hand and swallowing the lump forming in his throat.

"Hey, there's still hope. We've got time. This place can't be that large, it's just a land with a school smacked into the middle," Jay said reassuringly, not actually sounding very reassuring. Chad gave him a sarcastic smile and closed his eyes, clasping his hands together and sighing in exasperation.

"Wow, that's... that's great. _Just. Great,"_ Chad hissed, his eyes opening again and glinting dangerously. The VKs backed away hurriedly, Audrey rested a wary hand on his shoulder, and Doug grabbed the sleeve of Ben's jacket for some sort of security. Chad wrenched away from Audrey's hand and picked Evie's mirror up from the ground, shoving it at her.

"Try again," Chad commanded the blue haired girl. Evie hesitated before resting her hands on her hips and shaking her head. Chad's expression hardened and he pressed the mirror into her hands, glaring at her so harshly she winced.

"I said try. again," he growled, his nails digging slightly into Evie's delicate palm. She squeaked in surprise and quickly pulled her hand away, taking the mirror with her, and shook her head again. When Chad looked as if he was going to protest again, she drew herself up and folded her arms across her chest.

"You can't tell me to do anything. If I remember correctly, you're still our enemy and we still hate your guts, and the only reason we're helping you is because being with your brother again might snap your out of your cocky jock phase," Evie said, her tone a bit smug. Chad reluctantly withdrew his hands and kicked at the sandy earth beneath him with the point of his shoe. Evie smiled sweetly and brought up her mirror.

"Mirror, where's Copper Cove?" Evie asked the mirror smoothly, winking at Chad when the mirror immediately responded in a monotone female voice, "In 300 feet, turn right at the burning cactus."

"Let's go, everyone!" Evie said too cheerfully, looping her arm in Doug's and following the mirror-now-GPS' instructions. Chad ambled behind the VKs and the other three Hero Kids, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, failing to notice the concerned glance Jane threw his way.


	13. Getting In

"Oh good God," Chad breathed, staring upwards in shock. Evie's mirror had led them directly to an enormous, jail-looking school. The walls were plain, solid concrete reaching at least thirty stories high. There were no windows and only one main entrance. The brittle grass yard was completely desolate and you could have heard a pin drop it was so silent. A large metal gate topped with barbed wire surrounded the entire building and Chad could see guards walking here and there behind it. **Copper Cove Military Academy for Disturbed Youngsters** was written in solid red letters above the main entrance. Chad swallowed back the lump in his throat and backed away. Doug looked just as horrified as he felt, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Looks like my kind of place," Jace muttered, pulling his bag off of his shoulder and handing it to Mal, never taking his eyes off the torturous building. Mal started to dig through the tightly packed bag, looking for the potions she had prepared earlier for each of them. She tossed a small vial to each of them, commanding them to drink it as quickly as they could and to not waste a single drop. Chad looked at the yellow contents of the small vial skeptically, doubting that an amount of potion that small could really do anything, but he drank it anyways.

Chad doubled over, his mid regions throbbing as if they had just been kicked my someone wearing thick, spiked, metal boots. He groaned as the feeling spread throughout the rest of his body. If there was any way to describe it, it would be that he felt like he was melting. In fact, Chad's skin began to sag as his disguise began to form itself, his facial features changing until he looked nothing like he had before. He was shorter, with scruffy black hair and honey gold eyes. His skin was darker as well, but not dark enough to look black. The others looked nearly the same, but their hair and eye colors changed, along with their skin tones.

"Talk about makeovers," Carlos snickered as he glanced at Chad, elbowing Jay and making him laugh as well. Chad's now bushy brows furrowed in distaste and he looked at his reflection in Evie's mirror once more before sighing and shrugging his shoulders in defeat. Without saying another word, he turned towards the intimidating gates. Swallowing hard, Chad walked forward. The gates swung open on their own, allowing the teenagers to pass through. Carlos clung to Jay, Audrey grabbed Chad's hand, Ben and Mal stood shoulder to shoulder, and Evie snuck her arm around Doug's waist. The guards didn't give them a second glance as they passed, as if they saw them walk through these gates every day. Chad froze as his hand closed around the door handle, his eyes widening slightly. He'd been dreaming of this moment for two years. He couldn't screw it up...

"Go on, we got your back," Evie encouraged, and Audrey rested a hand on Chad's shivering shoulder. Chad glanced back a moment to see everyone in the group giving him some form of a reassuring smile, and his courage returned to him. Chad closed his eyes and slowly opened the door, bracing himself for what he would see. When he opened his eyes, he saw exactly what he expected. The halls were just as plain as the walls outside, and there were students from every walk of life wandering through the halls to their next classes. There was no way Chad would be able to spot Derek in this crowd but he still tried, looking over the masses of people desperately and trying to spot his brother's shock of jet-black hair, his glasses, his purple suit, anything! But, he couldn't see him, and he was just as lost as he was before.

"We'll find him. We just have to... blend in, go to some classes, and you can pull him aside. Whatever you want to do," Audrey murmured, glancing around worriedly as a sketchier character gave her a once over with a cocky smile. Chad's grip on Audrey's hand tightened. He took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he merged into the deep crowd. The hunt was afoot.


	14. Derek's POV

**This chapter is in first person for plot purposes, but if you guys like first person better for this story, let me know and I'll do it more often. Thanks!**

* * *

I kept my head down, my shaggy black locks hanging in front of my face and glasses. No one looked at me, but I could hear them whisper, laugh, and I could see them point. I continued on with a blank expression, tugging my long sleeves so they covered my arms, my fingers lingering over a few of the newer cuts on my wrists, and flinched as someone shouted "Suicidal Fag" for all to hear. The laughing was louder this time and my eyes burned with tears as I quickened my pace, my steps faltering as I nearly tripped over someone's foot.

"Watch where you're going, attention whore!" Maxwell, one of my more frequent tormentors, said with a nasty smile. I nodded hurriedly and apologized before taking off again. I was so sick and tired of this. Two years hadn't made any of this easier to deal with. If anything, it was harder. Harder to get out of bed in the morning, to deal with the idiot drill sergeant that wasn't afraid to hurt any of us (it was allowed), harder to stay out of trouble, and harder to not give up. I was going to get out of here eventually, and I couldn't give up before then. Never.

"Hey Derek! Wait for me!" My body relaxed at the sweet, kind voice and I almost smiled. Almost. The only friend I had managed to make in this place, Dominic, son of Doc and Doug's cousin, came up and clapped me on the bag, smiling at me widely. I had no idea how he stayed happy while being in a place like this. He almost reminded me of... my brother when the two of us were little. He was always optimistic and he never seemed to get upset by anything. Well, a few things made him angry, but never sad.

"You alright? Are they being any nicer today?" Dominic asked me with a slight edge to his voice, and he gripped my wrist tightly. I shook my head and sighed, pulling my arm away and tugging my sleeve down hurriedly before he could see anything nasty. Dominic looked at me with sympathy and looped his arm around my shoulders, shaking his shoulder-length brunette locks out of his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something when someone grabbed me by the hair, pulling me backwards, away from him, and then slamming me into a locker. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut. I heard Dominic scream and I knew he was getting similar treatment.

 _I'm so sorry..._

"Hey there, scumbag! Did you miss me?!" Maxwell hissed in my face with a grin. I recoiled and pressed against the lockers as much as I could, trembling as my heart beat a mile a minute. Maxwell smiled viciously, looking nothing like his father, Philip, or mother, Sleeping Beauty, as he pulled back his fist and punched me hard, knocking off my glasses and breaking my nose. I gasped in pain as blood streamed down my face and I held back a sob. My vision was blurry and I couldn't see anything but outlines and colors. I heard Dominic scream something, but everything became a blur as Maxwell punched me again, this time in the stomach, and made me double over and gasp for air. Maxwell started to tear off my suit jacket with a knowing smirk and I panicked, shoving away and trying to get in a hit, but he punched me again and I staggered backwards. I desperately pulled it back on and yanked down my sleeves.

"What? You scared to show everyone who you really are? A suicidal, whiny little manwhore?" Maxwell said with a sneer. "Don't call him that! He's none of those things!" Dominic roared, thrashing violently and trying to get out of the grip of Maxwell's goons. Maxwell smirked and kicked my feet out from under me, sending me crashing to the ground. I groaned and didn't even bother trying to get up, holding a hand to my nose and trying to stop the flow of blood. A crowd was gathering, just like always. Every time this happened there was a crowd. I curled up into a ball and heard Dominic sob. Maxwell smirked.

 _I'm so sorry..._

Maxwell twisted my arms behind my back and started pulling my suit jacket off of me once again, and I let him, closing my eyes as my face pressed against the cold concrete floor. Tears streamed down my face and I fought back sobs as my suit jacket fell away and Maxwell, who was still grabbing my arms, twisted them in a way that everyone could see them. Dominic gasped and I grimaced, waiting for the taunts. They all saw the scars. Everyone already knew but now they'd seen them...

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" someone shouted. Maxwell let go of me and I quickly pulled my jacket back on when I got the chance. A boy, seemingly a year or two older than me with scruffy black hair, honey gold eyes, and tan, Latino looking skin stood next to Dominic, seething with absolute rage, his entire body shaking with anger. He stormed over and pulled Maxwell off of me before helping me to my feet, grabbing my glasses off of the ground and giving them back to me. I looked at him with suspicion as he stood in front of me protectively, looking around at the stunned onlookers.

"Get lost! There's nothing to see here!" the teen shouted. The crowd slowly began to part and moved on to their classes, smoking places, and sex hideouts. The boy turned back to me with a pained expression and began to speak when Dominic shoved past him and tackled me in a bear hug, burying his face in my shoulder and sobbing.

* * *

 **MY PRECIOUS BABY, MY OC, I'M SO SORRY-**

 **Anyways, hoped you guys liked the chapter, and like I said before, let me know if you prefer first person! Thanks, and have a wonderful rest of your day!** **Don't forget to FF &R!**


	15. Brother

Chad's POV:

I looked at Derek, tears welling up in my eyes as he was hugged tightly by his battered friend. He just laid there on the ground with blood streaming from his nose, putting his jacket back on to cover the scars I had gotten a glimpse of. The crying boy that held my brother in his arms looked up at me, his eyes swollen and rimmed with red. I recognized him as Dominic, Doug's cousin, who'd gotten thrown in this dump after taking the blame of a robbery he didn't even know about. I was about to say something when Derek let out a soft moan, burying his head in Dominic's hair and inhaling a shaky breath. I rushed over to my brother's side, running a tanned hand through his hair and let out a shaky breath. How could I let this happen to him? How?!

"W-Who are you?" Dominic choked out, clutching Derek tighter to his chest, his eyes blazing as his body tensed protectively. Chad smiled dryly at Dominic and quickly wiped his face before setting a hand on Dominic's shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring way. Derek tensed and his eyes glanced up at me. I gave him smile.

"It's me, Chad. I'm here to get Derek out of this place. I'm with some of my friends," I said lowly, at Derek's eyes widened. He tried to scramble out of Dominic's arms and go farther away from me, but I grabbed his wrist before he could get anywhere. He gasped in slight pain and I loosened my grip as much as I could without letting go, not wanting to hurt Derek anymore than he already was.

"L-Let go of me! Stop it!" Derek said, his voice panicked. He wrenched away from me and backed up against the drab, gray metal lockers, shaking with pure terror and holding his hands out in front of him as if to protect himself. Dominic stood up and stood in front of him protectively, his eyes flickering from me to people walking through the halls that stared at my distraught brother. I glanced around, becoming a bit irritated, and leaned close to Dominic to whisper in his ear.

"I know you don't recognize me. It's a disguise. If you come with me, I might be able to get you out of here along with Derek. If not that, you can at least see Doug." Dominic stared at me, his eyebrows raised in alarm.

"Doug's... here? With you?" Dominic asked weakly, his blue eyes lighting up slightly with hope. I nodded and Dominic glanced back at Derek, who had curled up on the ground and was muttering softly to himself, running a hand through his shaggy black locks as he quivered. Dominic turned back to me grimly. "I don't know if I should believe you... How do I know if you're not one of Maxwell's henchmen?" Dominic asked, his eyes firmed. There was that dwarf stubbornness again...

"If I was with Maxwell, would I have made such an effort to defend him? I mean, come on, when we went to Auradon together I knew you were kind of stupid, but this is a whole new level for you. Just trust me, okay? I only intend to help, not harm," I said slowly, choosing my words carefully and throwing in the joke to lighten Dominic up a bit. The other teen still seemed skeptical, but he gave a curt nod and turned back to Derek, kneeling in front of him and cupping his face in his hands. Derek flinched and tried to pull away at first, but when he opened his eyes and saw Dominic he immediately calmed down. The two boys exchanged a few words before Dominic stood up and helped Derek get on his back, piggy-back ride style.

"Alright... take us to the others," Dominic mumbled.


End file.
